Saturday, July 14, 2012

A double-CD, 52-track box set that proves there was a lot more to The Troggs than "Wild Thing" and "Love Is All Around." This archetypally primitive British Invasion quartet scored many hits in the U.K. that barely dented the charts in the U.S., like "With A Girl Like You," "Night Of The Long Grass," and the notoriously racy "I Can't Control Myself." They're all here, along with notable album cuts, B-sides, and worldwide post-1968 flops.

Primitive they may have been, but The Troggs -- who wrote most of their own material -- did not lack a flair for hard pop hooks, and could display a surprising delicacy in their ballads. Several of their obscure singles and album tracks are equal in worth to their hits, like the gothic but pretty "Cousin Jane," and the witty light psychedelia of "Maybe the Madman" and "Purple Shades." Some of the '70s hard rockers and glammish novelties are unimpressive, and 52 songs is arguably excessive. But there are a fair number of obscure gems to be found on this well-annotated package.

by Richie Unterberger

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Lost Girl (Reg Presley) - 2:34

2. The Yella In Me (Reg Presley) - 2:42

3. Wild Thing (Chip Taylor) - 2:38

4. From Home (Reg Presley) - 2:21

5. With A Girl Like You (Reg Presley) - 2:10

6. I Want You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:19

7. Jingle Jangle (Reg Presley) - 2:31

8. Our Love Will Still Be There (Reg Presley) - 3:12

9. I Just Sing (Reg Presley) - 2:12

10.I Can't Control Myself (Reg Presley) - 3:07

11.Gonna Make You (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:51

12.Any Way That You Want Me (Chip Taylor) - 2:59

13.66-5-4-3-2-1 (Reg Presley) - 2:37

14.Give It To Me (All Your Love) (Reg Presley) - 2:17

15.I Can Only Give You Everything (Mike Coulter, Tommy Scott) - 3:27

16.You Can't Beat It (Reg Presley) - 2:25

17.Last Summer (Reg Presley) - 2:58

18.I Want You To Come Into My Life (Reg Presley) - 2:27

19.Cousin Jane (David Matthews, Larry Page) - 2:28

20.Night Of The Long Grass (Reg Presley) - 3:10

21.Girl In Black (Colin Fretcher, Larry Page) - 2:04

22.Too Much Of A Good Thing (Terry Fogg, John St. John Gillard) - 2:50

First released in 1967, this album really does invoke the spirit of the Swinging Sixties with it's soft-rock folk-psychedelic feel throughout. Featuring 'Love Is All Around', 'My Lady' and 'Little Red Donkey' and 12 bonus tracks (including both sides of solo singles from Trogg's drummer Ronnie Bond and leader Reg Presley!).